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Kyodo news summary -12-(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Sept. 28 -- (Kyodo) _ ---------- Santen to acquire French ophthalmic drugmaker Novagali OSAKA - Santen Pharmaceutical Co. said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in French ophthalmic drugmaker Novagali Pharma S.A. to obtain its research and development resources and expand its overseas business operations. Under the deal Santen will acquire shares equivalent to 50.55 percent of Novagali's outstanding shares from its major shareholders, it said. ---------- ANA jetliner flew almost belly up after co-pilot error TOKYO - An All Nippon Airways jetliner briefly flew almost belly up when it nosedived off Shizuoka Prefecture en route to Tokyo early this month, the Japan Transport Safety Board said Wednesday. Flight 140 from Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, with 117 crew and passengers aboard, managed to land at Haneda airport in Tokyo despite dropping around 1,900 meters from a height of about 12,500 meters in 30 seconds. Two flight attendants were slightly hurt, while six passengers later complained of feeling unwell. ---------- Fukushima nuclear plant moves closer to 'cold shutdown' TOKYO - Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday all three crippled reactors at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have met a key condition in achieving a stable state known as "cold shutdown." The utility made the announcement after the temperature reading at the base of the No. 2 reactor pressure vessel at the plant, which has been crippled since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, fell below 100 C. ---------- 3 Japan aerospace firms to join Airbus A320neo engine development TOKYO - Three Japanese heavy machinery manufacturers said Wednesday they will take part in the joint development and manufacturing of a fuel-efficient engine for use in Airbus S.A.S.'s upcoming A320neo passenger jet. IHI Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. will set up a joint venture with Pratt & Whitney, a U.S. aircraft engine maker, and German engine maker MTU Aero Engines Holding AG, they said. ---------- Japan, ASEAN vice defense ministers to cooperate amid S. China Sea row TOKYO - Vice defense ministers of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed Wednesday that it is necessary to work together with other regional partners such as the United States in the wake of Beijing's growing maritime interests in the South China Sea, Japanese officials said. Bearing in mind China's assertive claims in that area, some of the 10 members of the ASEAN nations called for the need to create a common understanding on the interpretation of international law regarding freedom of navigation while urging Japan and other regional partners to actively cooperate in the issue, the officials said. ---------- Softbank to begin online remittance service to Philippines TOKYO - A wholly owned subsidiary of Softbank Corp. will start an online remittance service to the Philippines on Nov. 1 to enable mainly Filipinos living in Japan to send money to their families and others, it said Wednesday. Softbank Payment Service Corp. began accepting member registration for the service, which will be offered in cooperation with G-Xchange Inc., a wholly owned unit of major Philippines telecom carrier Globe Telecom. ---------- Sega begins providing games to Chinese website TOKYO - Sega Corp. began providing its games Wednesday to a Chinese counterpart of Japanese social gaming network platform Mobage operated by DeNA Co. The game software maker became the first Japanese supplier to Mobage in China, also known as Mengbaogu, which was founded by a Chinese subsidiary of DeNA. (c) 2011 Kyodo News International, Inc. |